UT Chancellor Bill McRaven on ‘American Sniper,’ Longhorn football and more

Bill McRaven, chancellor of the University of Texas System, sat for an hour-long interview Thursday with Evan Smith, editor-in-chief and CEO of the online Texas Tribune. My story about McRaven’s remarks touches on various matters, including his support for a state law that allows certain unauthorized immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities rather than higher out-of-state rates.

Here are some loose ends:

On ‘American Sniper.’ McRaven, a retired four-star admiral and Navy SEAL who oversaw all U.S. special forces, called the box-office hit about the late Chris Kyle “very poignant,” adding, “I didn’t know Chris Kyle. Everybody who was on a SEAL team knew of Chris Kyle.”

On Longhorn football. He’s pleased with coach Charlie Strong’s progress, including his latest recruits. “I think UT-Austin’s going to have a great football team next year.”

On the search for a new UT-Austin president. “We have some marvelous candidates,” he said, declining to name them. “The process has worked very well.”

On the new UT System headquarters. He defended a 19-story, $133.1 million building under construction in downtown Austin as “a solid business plan.” It will accommodate system employees currently working in five nearby buildings and is already saving money through deferral of maintenance on those buildings, he said. The proposed House budget would bar the system from spending money on the new building without approval from a group of lawmakers who oversee the budget.

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